SEATTLE — The White Sox hit a couple of more home runs Friday, and they’ll take them. But like the four they had the night before, no one was on base.
A night after hitting four homers in a 5-4 loss in 11 innings to the Dodgers, the Sox (30-41) got long balls from Gavin Sheets and Andrew Benintendi, but mustered only three other hits in a 3-2 loss to the Mariners and lost for the fifth time in six games.
Benintendi’s first homer in a Sox uniform gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the sixth, but the Mariners rallied for single runs in the bottom of the inning and in the seventh against reliever Tanner Banks, who worked 2 2⁄3 innings for a bullpen that was used heavily in the last two games.
Michael Kopech walked six batters and allowed six hits but allowed one run in 4 1⁄3 innings. Banks relieved Kopech in the fifth and struck out Cal Raleigh and got pinch hitter AJ Pollock to foul out to leave the bases loaded. At that point, the Mariners were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, who entered with a 10.80 ERA, struck out a career high nine batters but allowed Sheets’ eighth homer, a solo shot in the fifth that broke a scoreless tie.
Julio Rodriguez doubled and scored Hernandez’ double against Kopech in the bottom of the fifth. Sox third baseman Jake Burger left his position to cover third when Rodriguez broke from second, and Hernandez bounced one through where Burger was playing into left field.
After Benintendi’s homer against Woo broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth, the Mariners tied it again on Ty France’s two-out single to left scoring Crawford.